


Party Trick

by argylemikewheeler



Series: Tumblr Re-posts [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Side byeler, budding friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 19:45:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18212777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/argylemikewheeler/pseuds/argylemikewheeler
Summary: Prompt: Would you consider writing some Mike and Max friendship?





	Party Trick

Mike wanted to learn how to count cards. El had enough mind tricks to impress the guys at any sleepover and he wanted to at least have something impressive to show them. It sounded easy how Mr. Clarke explained it– simple statistics– but doing it in practice was so much worse. He lost count as soon as the card left his field of sight. Maybe his horrible memory could be a trick. **  
**

“I hate this.” Mike muttered to himself, throwing the cards down on the table. He rested his forehead against it and groaned into the face card staring back at him.

“What are you doing?” A hand reached around his hair to collect the cards. “Because this isn’t how you play solitaire.”

“Leave me alone.” Mike grumbled, slapping his hands out to try and catch Max’s hands where they were. He hit only the table, hurting his palms in the process. “Ow.”

“You were saying?” Max asked.

“I’m trying to count cards. Leave me alone.” Mike said, lifting his head. The face card had stuck to his forehead, hanging in his vision before she peeled it off, her smirk mocking him.

“Why?” She asked. “That’s not a lot of fun.”

“I didn’t ask you.” Mike retorted, stealing all the cards back from her. He stared at the top card before sliding it back in the deck.

“I’m just saying it’s only fun if your friends know how to play cards. Right? If not, what’s there to count?” She responded evenly, only provoking Mike more. “I could teach you how to shuffle.”

“I know how to shuffle a deck of cards. I’m not three.” Mike retorted. “I know what I’m trying to do.”

“Trying to impress Will?” She said offhandedly, handing him a card stuck under her elbow.

“ _No_.” He barked. “I’m just trying to learn something.”

“Then let me teach you how to shuffle.” She insisted. She held her hand out to Mike, palm open and eager to hold the cards. Eager to show off, Mike was sure. Eager to laugh at him. “Come on. Trust me.”

Mike handed her the deck of cards slowly, as if he was betraying his own interests to let Max show him up on his own time at recess. Even though Mike was slow, she took the cards with haste, cutting the deck in half and holding them face down, edges about a half inch apart. She lifted the edges and let the tips overlap with each other, mixing the two decks together. Instead of sliding the two decks together sloppily like Mike always saw Jonathan do, she arched the decks and they all fell into one perfect deck in front of her. No boasting. No ego.

“Whoa. Where’d you learn to do that?” Mike asked. He tapped the table and urged her to do it again. Her fingers bent the cards so easily, her eyes able to wander around the field, looking at other students as they passed them.

“My dad taught me.” She said, sliding the deck towards Mike. “You try. It’s not that hard. Just don’t let the cards fly out of your fingers. Keep them caged.” She reached over and made Mike’s fingers cup around the edge of the cards. “Yeah, kinda like that.”

Mike copied Max’s motions, trying to keep his hands tight and not letting the force of the cards send them flying into her face. Somehow he didn’t– he sent them flying into his own instead. The cards spit out towards him, hitting his chest and shoulders and falling onto the grass by his feet.

“Good try.” Max said, trying not to laugh. “Try it again.”

“If you’re going to laugh, leave me alone.” Mike said firmly, shoving the cards off his lap.

“Why don’t I teach you something else?” She offered, pushing a loose card off the table to join the others. “I can teach you how to skate. That’ll be impressive!”

“I’m not trying to impress anyone!” Mike insisted, crossing his arms. Maybe lying wasn’t his trick either.

“Fine.” Max said, lifting her hands up. “It’d be pretty bitchin’ though, wouldn’t you say?”

“I guess.” Mike scoffed. “I mean, it is pretty cool when you do it.” Mike admitted. Max wasn’t that annoying to have around. She just seemed to have the jump on everything Mike tried to do. It was like everything was a competition but Mike didn’t even know the race had started.

“And it’ll be pretty cool when you do it too.” She smiled, reaching a hand out to Mike. “Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Now, let’s talk about this sweater you’re wearing…” She laughed, reaching over to tug on the maroon collar.

“Hey! I like this one.” Mike argued, putting his arms up in defense. “I get a lot of compliments on this one.”

“Name three people.” She said, resting her chin on her hand.

“Well, there’s–”

“Besides Will.”

“Uh…”

“Okay, so we have our target audience.” She nodded to herself, ignoring Mike’s interjection, and stood from the table. “After school let me run home and get my extra deck. We’ll practice skating in the parking lot. You’ll look cool.” She reached over and slapped Mike on the shoulder. “Especially for Will.”

“Promise?” Mike asked, pulling on his sweater. He’d never admit it, but Max wasn’t wrong. It really  _was_  Will’s favorite.

“You? On a skateboard? In  _that_ disgusting sweater?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “The crowd’s gonna go  _wild_ , Wheeler.”

**Author's Note:**

> [The Rebloggable Post!](https://argylemikewheeler.tumblr.com/post/167494652270/would-you-consider-writing-some-mike-and-max)


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